1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to shelving articles adapted for use in various environments and, more particularly, to shelving articles adapted for use in environments such as refrigerators, with the shelving articles assisting in providing a light source.
2. Background Art
Various types of prior art shelving have been developed for use in a number of environments. Along with this shelving, use is often made of support bracing. This support bracing and these shelving articles are often adapted for use in environments such as refrigerators, store fixtures, store displays, kitchen pantries and similar residential, commercial and industrial devices and interiors. In these environments, it is important to provide means for adequate support for the shelving articles.
For example, for various shelving articles in a number of different environments, it is known to employ stationary devices often referred to as “cantilever ladders.” The cantilever ladders are typically fixed to a permanent wall of a room interior, a back wall of a refrigerator compartment or secured in similar environments. These cantilever ladders are often elongated in structure and may be mounted to the walls or other supporting structures through conventional means (such as screws, bolts and the like) in a vertical configuration. These ladders will often include a series of vertically disposed slots. These slots provide a means for releasably securing supporting devices to the cantilever ladders, with the supporting devices directly supporting shelving articles.
These supporting devices or braces are often referred to as “support brackets.” These support brackets typically include formed latch mechanisms releasably securable within the slots of the cantilever ladders. These support brackets are also typically elongated in structure, and extend outwardly from the cantilever ladders. The reference to the term “cantilever” with respect to the ladders results from the fact that the supporting interconnection or “latching” between the ladders and the support brackets is often an interconnection where cantilever forces are exerted onto the ladders by the interconnection and structure of the support brackets, and the weight of articles supported by the brackets. The elongated portions of the support brackets are typically structured so as to support a shelving article in a horizontal or possibly angled orientation.
It is common for two or more support brackets to be utilized to support one shelving article. When the support brackets are located at or adjacent opposing lateral sides of the shelving article being supported, the support brackets are often referred to as “sideplates.”
As earlier stated, numerous designs for shelving and supporting apparatus exist in the prior art. For example, Kene, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,809, issued Oct. 14, 1996, discloses an encapsulated shelf assembly with a shelf support supporting a panel. Herrmann, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,589, issued Apr. 7, 1998, discloses a shelf assembly for a refrigerator compartment. The assembly includes a member slidably movable for extension and retraction on a support. The shelf member includes slide members preferably molded as a rim on an article support surface. A guide member extends from one or both of the side members to guide the sliding movement. A stop on the guide member limits travel by engaging a limit surface on a shelf support.
Bird, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,638, issued Oct. 3, 1995, discloses adjustable refrigerator shelving having a shelf rail for supporting a partial width shelf within a refrigerator compartment. The shelf is supported on first and second spaced apart shelf tracks vertically oriented in the compartment. The shelf tracks releasably engage with a number of support brackets for cantilever support of one or more shelves at a plurality of vertically spaced locations. The shelf rail includes rearwardly projecting hooks at each of the two opposing ends, for releasable engagement with the shelf tracks. Locking tabs are included on the hooks to retain the shelf rails on the track. A rub strip is provided between the partial shelf and the shelf rail, along a top edge of the shelf rail.
Bird, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,433, issued Jul. 4, 1995, describes a refrigerator shelf adapted for containment of spills on the shelf. In one embodiment, the shelf is slidably mounted to allow horizontal extension of the shelf, with access to the rear portion of the shelf using slide guides molded into the rim along each side of the shelf. The shelf is cantilevered upon support brackets from the rear wall of a refrigerator, so as to allow air flow around the shelf sides. These support brackets are adapted to support the shelf at a plurality of vertical positions.
Meier, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,720, issued Sep. 19, 2000, discloses a method of manufacturing a shelf with a plastic edge. The glass panel is placed on a cavity of a mold, with the cavity having side cavity portions, each housing one of pair of shelf brackets.
The traditional supporting brackets or sideplates utilized as support for shelving articles often have certain disadvantages. For example, a number of known shelving systems comprise sideplates which are formed from solid pieces of stamped metal. These types of sideplates utilize a substantial amount of metal. Also, in view of the substantial amount of surface area, a corresponding amount of finishing material is required. In addition, the volume of stamped metal can be relatively heavy. Still further, sideplates formed of solid pieces of stamped metal often prohibit any substantial amount of light transmission or air flow around the sideplates that support shelving articles.
In addition to requiring various types of supports, it is also advantageous for interiors of refrigerators and the like to provide at least some type of light source. It is known to utilize LED's to provide light sources within many products. For example, appliances such as refrigerators can use LED's so as to provide a relatively lower cost energy source of light. In this regard, LED's can be utilized with refrigerator shelves. However, various types of light sources using LED's with refrigerator shelves have shown various disadvantages.